“During all stages of the filmmaking, Dredd has been a collaboration between a number of dedicated creative parties. From the outset we decided on an unorthodox collaboration to make the film. This situation has been misinterpreted. To set the record straight, Pete was not fired and remains a central part of the collaboration, and Alex is not seeking a co-director credit. We are all extremely proud of the film we have made, and respectfully suggest that it is judged on viewing when its released next year.”

Dredd's actually quite a difficult character to translate to film. He's a hero, no doubt, but he's also a merciless and nearly robotic humourless jack-booted enforcer for an unelected totalitarian regime. This was often alluded to in the comics and in the Stallone movie they used the irritating sidekick to highlight that aspect. I hated him but he did serve the purpose in a Jar Jar Binks type way. I suppose it was Dredd's personal integrity that made him a hero. So a classic anti-hero then, but to the nth degree, and without some human weaknesses it's hard to get a movie audience to identify with the character. Maybe that's why Stallone took the helmet off.

Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? ~~ Oddball